Locomotive driving box



Jan. 17, 1939. R. H. CAMPION LOCOMOTIVE DRIVING BOX Filed Dec. 51, 1957' INVENTOR. I RUSSEH FIE] 1'1 ///4f Zy A TTORNEYS Patented Jan. 17, 1939 PATENT orries LoooMoTIvE DRIVING BOX Russell H. Campion, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor of seven-eighths to Eugene E. Campion, Milwaukee, Wis.

Application December 31, 1937, Serial No. 182,811

2 Claims.

This invention pertains to locomotive driving boxes, and more particularly to wedge bolts utilized in connectionv with the same, for automatically compensating for wear between surfaces of the driving box, and the shoes and wedges.

At the present time it is common practice to constructwedge bolts for the foregoing purpose, in one piece, with the result that upon stripping of the bolt threads, or breakage of the bolt or m take-up spring, an annoying maintenance. problem is encountered, in that it becomes necessary to remove the heavy pedestal binder in order to replace the damaged or broken parts, This operation requires several men, and a considerable parts without removal of the wedge or pedestal 2U binder.

Incidental to the foregoing, a more specific object of the invention resides in the provision of a sectional wedge bolt, in which the threaded shank is detachably connected to the bolt head engaged in the wedge.

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, substantially as hereinafter described, and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the herein disclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawing is illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of the present invention constructed according to the best mode so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevation of a conventional locomotive frame and driving box, with one form of the present invention applied thereto.

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an elevation of a bolt constructed in accordance with the invention, the section being spaced apart; and

Figure 4 is an elevation of the bolt in assembled position.

Referring now moreparticularly to the accompanying drawing, the numeral I designates one of the side frames of a locomotive bed, the same 55 being provided with the usual pedestal 2 consisting of spaced, depending jaws 3 and 4, respectively, the latter being tapered on its inner face for the purpose hereinafter explained.

Positioned within the pedestal is a driving box 5 for reception of the driving axle 6 of the locomotive. Secured to the bottom of the frame I, below the pedestal, is a binder I, which serves to lock the driving box 5 in the frame. Disposed between the driving box 5 and the tapered pedestal jaw i is a wedge 8, the lower end of which is provided with a transverse, dove-tailed groove 9, for reception of a wedge bolt ID.

The structure thus far described is more or less conventional, and forms no part of the present invention other than in the combination hereinafter claimed. The salient feature of the invention consists in the novel construction of the wedge bolt It, which, as shown in the drawing,

comprises a head II for insertion into the dovetailed groove 9 of the wedge B, Detachably connected to the head II is a threaded shank I2, which projects loosely through the pedestal binder l. The lower end of the shank also passes loosely through a depending spaced horizontal tail 1, carried by the binder, and terminates in a nib I3 for reception of a wrench, or other suitable tool, for manipulatingthe shank. The upper end of the shank is provided with a reduced threaded extension I4, which is screwed into a socket formed in the head II.

In assembling the shank and head a lock washer I5 is preferably disposed between the two to prevent their detachment through vibration.

Positioned upon the wedge bolt Iii, between the binder I and tail-piece 1', is a floating plate IE, provided with fingers I6 adapted to straddle the tail-piece to prevent rotation of the plate on the bolt. Disposed between the plate Iii and the tailpiece I is a take-up spring II, which normally urges the bolt upwardly to force the wedge 8 into operative position between the driving box 5 and the pedestal jaw 4, thus automaticaly compensating for wear between the parts. An adjusting nut I8, threaded on the shank I2 above the plate l6, serves to regulate the tension of the take-up spring II.

From the foregoing explanation, considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, it is believed that the operation of the invention will be apparent, in that upon stripping of the threads on the shank I2, or breakage of the shank or take-up spring ll, it is unnecessary to remove the binder I in order to replace the bolt, or take-up spring, as hereto-fore required in the use of onepiece wedge bolts. Instead, the shank l2 can be readily disconnected from the head H with any suitable tool, and a new shank or take-up spring inserted for replacement.

Thus, it will be seen that an exceedingly awkward and tedious operation is eliminated, it being borne in mind that the average pedestal binder weighs approximately four hundred pounds, and, therefore, requires the assistance of several workmen to handle the same, and remove the several bolts employed for its attachment.

I claim:

1. The combination of a pedestal, a driving box carried by the pedestal, a wedge disposed between the driving box and pedestal jaw and provided with a horizontal dove-tailed groove, a binder secured to the lower end of the pedestal beneath the wedge, a wedge bolt including a head positioned in said wedge groove and a threaded shank loosely passing through said binder and detachably connected to said head, and a spring disposed between said binder and wedge bolt below the binder to urge the wedge into operative position.

2. The combination of a pedestal, a driving box carried by the pedestal, a wedge disposed between the driving box and pedestal jaw and provided with a horizontal dove-tailed groove, a binder secured to the lower end of the pedestal beneath .the wedge and provided with a spaced tail, a

wedge bolt including a head positioned in said wedge groove and a detachable, threaded shank loosely passing through said binder and tail, a take-up spring mounted on said shank between said binder and tail, and means on the shank for regulating the tension of said spring.

RUSSELL H. CAMPION. 

